The Pre-Existence and Divinity of Christ: An Ontological Perspective (06/07/'24) -Viewpoint

The Pre-Existence and Divinity of Christ: An Ontological Perspective The main point of the sentence is to highlight the pre-existence of the "will of God" before Abraham's existence and to draw a parallel to Jesus' declaration of His eternal nature, as encapsulated in the phrase "Before Abraham was, I am." The sentence suggests that people misunderstood Jesus' declaration, which led to their attempt to stone Him, seeing it as blasphemy. From an ontological standpoint, the statement touches on the nature of existence and being. In Christian theology, Jesus' use of "I am" (Greek: ἐγώ εἰμι, ego eimi) is a direct reference to the divine name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where God says, "I AM WHO I AM." This indicates Jesus' claim to divinity and eternal existence, asserting that He is not bound by time as humans are. Ontologically, this implies that Jesus shares in the eternal nature of God, existing before all creation, including Abraham. For humans, this claim challenges their understanding of time, existence, and the nature of Jesus. It suggests that Jesus, as the Son of God, transcends human temporal limitations and possesses an eternal, uncreated nature. A related Bible verse is John 1:1-2, which states: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God." This underscores the pre-existence and divinity of Jesus (the Word), aligning with His statement in John 8:58. In summary, the sentence emphasizes Jesus' pre-existence and divine nature, which was misunderstood by His contemporaries, leading them to see His statement as blasphemous rather than a revelation of His true identity. Pastor Steven G. Lee (June 7, 2024)